The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

And from all things. He doth secretly prevent that which might seem contrary to the former doctrine. For look how many ceremonies of the Law there were, so many exercises were there to obtain remission of sins. Therefore the Jews might readily object, if he alone do reconcile God to us, our sins being done away, to what end serve so many washings and sacrifices, which we have hitherto used according to the prescript of the Law? Therefore least the Ceremonies of the Law hinder the Jews, Paul teacheth that Christ doth that, which they were ⟨p. 318⟩not able to do. Not that Paul spake so briefly and compendiously (for he did not hope that the Jews would at the first come unto Christ, casting from them suddenly the affiance which they had in the righteousness of the Law) but it was sufficient for Luke briefly to collect the sum of those things which he then taught in just and due order. His meaning is, that the Mediator took away that let from the Jews, wherein they did stick. The ceremonial Law ought in deed to have bin a schoolmaster to lead them by the hand unto Christ: all rites commanded by God were helps to help and further their faith: but as men use preposterously to corrupt the holy ordinances of God, they stopped the way before themselves by their ceremonies, & they shut the gate of faith, that they could not come to Christ. They thought they had righteousness in sacrifices, that by washings was gotten true cleanness, that god was pleased with them so soon as they had ended their external pomp: in sum, forsaking the body they laid hold upon vain shadows. God did in deed appoint no unprofitable or vain thing in the Law. Wherefore ceremonies were sure and undoubted testimonies of remission of sins. For God did not lye in these words, Let the sinner do sacrifice and his iniquity shall be purged. But as Christ was the end of the Law, and the heavenly pattern of the tabernacle, so the force and effect of all Ceremonies did depend upon him. Whereby it is proved that they were vain shadows, when he was set aside. Now we see Pauls drift and purpose, to wit, that he meant to draw away the Jews from the false and perverse confidence which they reposed in the Law, least being puffed up, they should think that they had no need of Christs help,¹ or least they should seek only external felicity in him.

And from all things. He doth secreatly preuent that which might seem contrary to the former doctrine. For looke how many ceremonies of the Law there were, so many exercises were there to obtaine remission of sinnes. Therefore the Iewes might readily obiect, if he alone doe reconcile God to vs, our sinnes being done away, to what end serue so many washings and sacrifices, which we haue hitherto vsed according to the prescript of the Law? Therefore least the Ceremonies of the Law hinder the Iewes, Paul teacheth that Christ doth that, which they were